Transplanter attachment



Jan. 29, 1952 J. c. GRIFFIN TRANSPLANTER ATTACHMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 21, 1949 VNN i mm m W aw www JOSEPH Q1/2775 G'Q/FF/N,

INVENTUR.

14 TTUE/VEV Jan. 29, 1952 J. c. GRIFFIN TRANSPLANTER ATTACHMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 21, 1949 A TTOENEY Jan. 29, 1952 J. c. GRIFFIN 2,584,012

TRANSPLANTER ATTACHMENT Filed July 21, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A T TUENEY Jan. 29, 1952 J. CI GRIFFIN 2,584,012

TRANSPLANTEJR ATTACHMENT Filed July 21, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 (JOSEPH CwaT/s 'en /N, INVENTOR.

A A TTOENEY J. C. GRIFFIN TRANSPLANTER ATTACHMENT Jan 29, 1952 5 SheetsSheet 5 Filed July 21, 1949 JJSEPH CueT/s iE/FF/N,

IN ENTOR.

Patented Jan. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRANSPLANTER ATTACHMENT Joseph Curtis Griffin, Branford, Fla.

Application July 21, 1949, Serial No. 106,025

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to farm implements and more especially to a transplanter adapted to be pulled over the ground by a tractor and having means for forming furrows in soft earth and having other means disposed rearwardly thereof for covering the furrow made by the first means, whereby operators may place plants between the furrow forming means and the covering means in a transplanting operation.

It is an object of this invention to make the means for forming a furrow and the means for covering the furrow in the form of a unitary attachment.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for resiliently mounting the furrow covering means so the furrow, will be covered although the configuration of the earth may vary.

It is still another object of this invention to mount the furrow former on a transverse shaft and so relate the means for mounting the furrow coverer to the shaft that upon raising the furrow former to inoperative position, the shaft engages the means for mounting the furrow coverer and said coverer is also raised to inoperative position.

Figure l is a side elevation of the rear end of a tractor with the nearest wheel of the tractor removed and showing the transplanting implement in a lowered or operative position; t

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure l with parts in cross-section and omitting the water reservoir and with the central portion of the plant storage shelf broken away for purposes of clarity;

Figure 3 is an elevation similar to Figure 1 but looking at the opposite side of the structure shown in Figure l and showing the transplanting implement in an elevated or transport position;

Figure 4 is an elevation with parts in section and omitting the scraper or land leveling plate and is taken substantially along the line 4-4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation of the ground wheel of the implement nearest the observer in Figure l and showing a form of time warning device associated therewith;

. Figure '6 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view through the implement omitting the tractor and being taken substantially along the line 6-6 in Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral |0 indicates a portion of the frame of a tractor which has a differential housing H at the rear end thereof from which axle housing l2 and I3 project and withinwhich are mounted axles l4. The'remote ends of the axles l4 are are mounted. The hydraulically operated shaft 2| is controlled by the control lever 20 to raise and lower the arms 22 and 23.

The links 24 and 25 are circular in cross-section and extend downwardly and rearwardly at an angle in Figures 1 and 3 and telescopically penetrate the upper ends of sleeves 2B and 21,

respectively, each of these 26 and 21 being provided with a longitudinally extending slot 30 which is slidably penetrated by a screw 3|. These screws 3| bear the weight of the transplanting implement to be later described when it is in the raised position shown in Figure 3. Telescopic relationship between the links 24, 25 and the sleeves 26, 21, respectively, is necessary in order to allow relative movement between the transplanting implement and the rear end of the tractor due to the irregular surface of the plowed ground over which the implement is adapted to travel.

Thelower ends of the sleeves 26 and 21 are pivotally connected, as at 32 and 33, intermediate the ends of links 34' and 35 respectively. The links 34 and 35 extend forwardly and their front ends are pivotally connected to the remote ends of outwardly projecting portions 36 and 31 (Figure 2) integral with the differential housing H of the tractor l0. These links 34 and 35 extend rearwardly from the lower ends of the bars 26 and 21, in diverging relation to each other, and are pivotally mounted on stub shafts 36 and 31', respectively, projecting outwardly from the remote surfaces of horizontally disposed plates 4|) and 4|, respectively.

Main wheeled frame The plates 4|! and 4| are parts of amain wheeled vertically movable frame broadly desigbetween the rear ends of the links 34 and 35 and a pair of links 41 and 49, respectively, the rear ends of these links 41 and 48 being pivotally mounted on the stub'shafts 36' and 31'. The links 41 and 48 extend forwardly in diverging relation to each other and then are bent parallel to each other and their front ends are pivotally connected as at and 52 to arms 53 and 54, respectively. These arms 53 and 54 depend from the axle housings I2 and I3 and are secured as by bolts 55' to clamping members 56 and 51 integral with the axle housings I2 and I3, respectively. The upper surfaces of the arms 53 and 54 are cut away to conform to the curvatureof the axle housings I2 and I3. The clamping members 56 and 51 also serve to support a reservoir tank supporting frame structure to be later described.

Welded to the proximate or inner surfaces l'of bolted together as by a bolt 52. A stub shaft 64 is fixedly mounted on the upper ends of the frame members 69 6| and has the rear end of a V centrally located link 65 pivotally mounted thereon, thelink 65 extending forwardly and downwardly and its front end being pivotally connected as at 86 ,to spaced portions 61 and 98 projecting rearwardly'from the differential gear housing II of the tractor frame I9. 7 7

Opposed ends of the transverse frame member 43 of the wheeled frame 42 have vertically disposed posts II and I2 adjustably secured thereto by plates I3, 14 and I5, 16, respectively. The plates I3 and engage the front surface of the vertically disposed posts II and I2 while the plates I4 and' I9 engage the rear surface of the horizontally disposed transverse frame member 43 and tie bolts 11 and I8 secure the plates I3, I4, and I5, I8, respectively, together, thus clamping the vertically disposed posts II and I2 against the front surface of the transverse frame mem- V ber .43. The vertically disposed posts II and 12 are preferably rectangular and tubular in crossthe pins 9| on the ground wheel 83 by a suitable tension spring 95, the upper end being connected to the bar 92 in Figure l and its lower end device which will click each time one of the pins 7 9| moves out of engagement with the free end of the metallic bar 92 tothus allow the tension' spring 95 to move the free end of the bar 92 against the next succeeding pin 9|. This will cause a clicking sound each time one of the pins 9| is engaged by the bar 92 to thus warn the person or persons transplantin vegetation to 7 place a plantin the furrow formed by the fursection and are provided with scored graduation lines. I9 which-are preferably spaced about one inch apart to assist an'operator in determining the position of the frame member 43 relative to the posts II and I2 and their wheels to be presently described.

The lower portions of the posts II and 12 in Figures '1 and 3 are welded to rearwardly extending yoke members 8| and 82, respectively, which straddle ground wheels 83 and 84 rotatably mounted on bolts 85 and 89 carried by the yoke members 8|. and '82, respectively. The ground wheelsv 83 and 84 support the main vertically movable frame 42 as well as a'vertically adjustable frame generally designated at 99 which is mounted for vertical adjustment relative to the main frame 42 and which will be later described in detail.

Time warning device It will be noted in Figure .1 that the hub of the ground wheel 83 is provided with a plurality'of equally and radiallyspaced pins 9| which, upon rotation of the ground wheel 83, are adapted to intermittently'engage the free end of a metallic sounding bar 92 which is pivotally mounted, as at 93, on the yoke nember 8|. The metallic bar-92 is normally urgedinto engagement with row opening disks to be later described.

Suitable fenders I99 and IM surmount the ground wheels 83 and 84 and are also welded at their front ends to the'vertically disposed posts II and I2, respectively.

Seats for operators Secured against the rear surface of the transverse'frame member 43 of the wheeled frame 42, as by u-bolts I93 and I94, are the upper ends of vertically disposed angle bars I95 and'IOB, respectively. 'The lower ends of the angle bars I95 and I95 are welded intermediate the ends'of longitudinally extending angle bars I91 and I93, respectively (Figures 1, 3 and 4). These longitudinally extending angle bars I91 and I98 extend rearwardly and the lower ends of upwardly and rearwardly extending angularly disposed bars III and H2 arewelded to the rear ends of the angle bars I91 and I98.' The upper ends of the angularly disposed bars III and 2 are welded to transverse bars H3 and II4,-respectively, which are adapteclto be inserted in the lip portions H6 and ill of the back portions 8 and N9 of sheet metal seats I29 and I2I, respectively. The rear ends of the longitudinally extending angle bars I91 and I98 are also welded to an interconnecting transverse angle bar I23 which extends a substantial distance beyond opposed sides of the angle bars I91 and I98 and supports'the, seat plates I29 and I2I at their juncture with the back portions H8 and I I9 thereof.

The proximate sides of the sheetmetal seats I29 and |2I have vertically disposed sheet metal plates I24 and I25, respectively, weldedthereto which are provided-to prevent the occupants of the seats I29 and |2| from sliding oif of the same when they are placing plants in the furrows formed by the furrow opening disks to be later described, since itis necessary for the occupants of the seats I29 and I2I 'to reach downwardly through the space between the proximate edges" of the seats I29 and I2I. V 7 It will be noted that the seats I29 and I2I; ex-

tend upwardly at an angle and suitable angle The lower ends of the. angle bars I34 and I35 are welded intermediate the ends of the longi tudinally extending angle bars I91 and I98 here tofcre'described. Also welded to the upper ends of the angle bars I34 and I35 are the rear ends of forwardly and downwardly extending angularly disposed angle bars I36 and I31, respectively, which are provided to support leg supporting portions I40 and MI integral with the seats I20 and I2I. The front ends of the le supporting portions I40 and MI of the seats I20 and I2I terminate at the juncture of the vertically disposed angle bars I05 and I06 with the horizontally disposed angle bars I01 and I08 and suitable notches are provided in the front ends of these portions I40 and MI which are loosely penetrated by the angle bars I05 and I06.

The front ends of these leg supporting portions I40 and MI are also secured as by bolts I43 to foot supporting angle plates I44 and I45, respectively, the horizontal legs of which rest on the front portions of the longitudinally extending angle bars I01 and I08 to thus complete the structure of the main vertically movable frame 42. The seats I20 and I2I actually depend from the transverse frame member 43 by virtue of the angle bars I05 and I06 and it is thus seen that these seats may be adjusted as a unit transversely of the frame 42 if desired.

Vertically adjustable frame In Figures 4 and 6 it is most clearly shown how the vertically adjustable frame 90 is seecured to the main frame 42. The vertically adjustable frame 90 comprises an L-shaped member I50 which is rectangular and tubular in crosssection and the vertical leg of which is clampingly secured to the transverse frame member 43 of the main frame 42 by plates I5I and I52 which engage the remote surfaces of the frame member 43 and the vertical leg of the L-shaped member I50, respectively, and are clamped together by suitable tie bolts I53. It is thus seen that by loosening the tie bolts I53 the L-shaped member I50 may be adjusted, either laterally or vertically relative to the transverse frame member 43 of the main frame 42 to thus adjust the position of a land leveling sled, furrow opening disks and furrow covering wheels, all to be later described, relative to the frame 42.

The vertical leg of the L-shaped member I 50 extends upwardly and has a vertically disposed bar I 54 slidably inserted therein, this bar I54 being rectangular in cross-section and having a horizontally disposed flange I56 at its upper end in Figure 6. This flange supports and is welded to the bottom of a tray I60, the top and rear of which is open. The bottom of the tray I60 is also reinforced adjacent its rearmost edge by a transversely extending bar I62. This tray I60 is adapted to support vegetation which may have been collected from a greenhouse or from another planted area and which is to be transplanted.

The horizontal leg of the L-shaped member I50 of the vertically adjustable frame 90 has the horizontal portion of an inverted substantially U-shaped member I64 secured thereto as by a bolt I65. The vertical legs of the inverted U- shaped member I64 are spanned at their lower ends by an axle I 66 opposed ends of which are preferably restricted and slidably penetrate the vertical legs of the inverted U-shaped member I64 and are secured therein as by nuts I61 threadably mounted on the restricted ends of the shaft I66 (Figure 2). The shaft I66 has suitable closely spaced concavo-convex furrow opening disks I and Ill rotatably mounted thereon, the front lower portions of which are spaced very closely together and the rear upper portions of which are spaced a substantially greater distance apart from each other than the front and lower portions thereof to thus produce a wedging effect of the disks I 10 and HI as they move through the soil as the implement is pulled along by the tractor. .The concave sides of the disks I10 and Ill face each other.

The disk supporting shaft I66 also slidably penetrates a hub member I12 which serves as a spacer between the disks 110 and Ill since the concave surfaces of the disks I10 and Ill face each other. The hub member I12 is welded to the lower end of a stand I13 the upper end of which has a plate portion I14 integral therewith and which is slidably penetrated by the bolt I65 to thus secure the stand I13 to the L-shaped member i 59 as well as to the horizontal portion of the inverted U-shaped member I64.

Land, leveling sled The restricted ends of the shaft I66 also slidably penetrate the rear portions of substantially horizontally disposed angle bars I16 and I11, the front ends of which are turned upwardly at an angle as at 560 in Figures 1, 3 and 6. These angle bars I16 and I 11 are also secured to the lower ends of the vertical legs of the inverted U-shaped member I64 by suitable bolts E82 (Figures 2 and 6'). Welded to the lower surfaces of the angle barsllfi and I11, in Figure S is the horizontal portion of a scraper plate or land leveling sled I84, the rear edge of which terminates a substantial distance short of the rear ends of the angle bars I16 and I11. The front end of the angle plate I84 is bent upwardly to conform to the upwardly bent portions I of the angle bars I16 and I 11 and is also welded thereto.

} Farrow closing wheels Suitable bearing blocks I86 and I81 are welded to the proximate sides of the angle bars I16 and I11 and extend upwardly therefrom and have the front ends of arms I90 and I9I pivoted thereon. These arms I90 and I9I extend rearwardly and are then bent at a slight angle reltive to the vertical and have suitable fiat surfaced furrow covering wheels I93 and I94 rotatably mounted on axles I95 and I96, respectively, projecting inwardly and upwardly at an angle from the proximate surfaces of the arms I90 and I9I. These arms I90 and I9I are also provided with suitable scraper blades I91 and I98 respectively which are disposed closely adjacent the front portions of the furrow covering wheels I93 and I94 to thus prevent the accumulation of earth on these wheels I93 and I94. The angular attitude of the wheels I 93 and I94 tends to move the soil raised by the disks I10 and HI back into the furrow to thus cover the roots of the plants placed therein by the operators.

The arms I90 and I9I with their wheels I 93 and I94 are urged downwardly at their free ends by suitable compression springs 20I and 202, the lower ends of which bear against pressure plates 203 and 204 welded to the proximate sides of the arms I90 and I9I, respectively. The upper ends of the compression springs 20! and 202 bear against the lower surface of the horizontal portion of the inverted U-shaped member I64 and suitable guide pins 205 are surrounded by each of the compression springs MI and 202. The lower ends of the guide pins 205 slidably penetrate the pressure plates 203 and 204 (Figure 4) and the upper ends thereof are secured to the horizontal portion of the inverted U-shaped member I54 by suitable lock nuts 201. 7

It is thusseen that vertical adjustment of the L-shaped member I50 relative to the transverse frame member 43 of the main frame 42 will cause like adjustment of the scraper blade or land leveling sled I84 and the furrow opening disks I10 and Ill as well as the furrow covering wheels I93 and I94 relative to the ground wheels 83 and 84 and the seats I20 and I2I. This completes the description of the vertically adjustable frame 90.

'It will be noted that adjustment of the ground wheels 83 and 84 relative to'the'transverse frame member 43 of the main frame 42 will var the distance between the seats I20 and I2I and the 83 and 34 trackf the wheels I5 and I6 of the tractor. 7

It is manifest that when the implement is used on rich soil, the wheels I5 and I6 of the tractor would sink only slightly into the soil and therefore the lower portions of the disks I10 and HI would be adjusted to a lower position relative to the ground wheels 83 and 84 by loosening the bolts I53.

Also, when the implement is used on a hillside, one of the ground wheels '83 or 84 may be adjusted to a lower elevation than the other relative to the frame member 43 so the implement may move along in a substantially horizontal position.

Water reservoir Plates 2H and 2I2 are secured to the upper' surfaces of the axle housings I2 and I3 by the bolts 55 which secure the arms 52 and 53 to'the lower surfaces of the axle housings I2 and I3. The lower ends of vertically disposed angle bars 2I3 and 2I4 are welded to the front portions of the plates 2H and 2I2 and the lower ends of upwardly and rearwardly extending angularly disposed angle bars 2I5 and 2| 6 are welded adjacent the rear edges of the plates 2II and'2I2'. The angle bars 2I3, 2 I5 and 2I4, 2I6 arespanned intermediate their ends by horizontally disposed brace bars 220 and 22I, respectively, which are welded to the corresponding angle bars. The flanges of the angularly disposed angle bars 2I5 and 2I6 extend inwardly toward each other and support a reservoir tank or drum 223 and the upper ends of the angle bars 2I3 and 2I5 are cut at an angle and support the front portion'of the reservoir tank 223. The tank 223*is adapted to contain a supply of water.

After the tank 223 is positioned in the man-- ner heretofore described, suitable curved tie rods 224 and 225 are welded at their front ends to the upper ends of the angle bars 2I3 and 215, respectively, and are then passed over the top of the tank 223, as shown in Figure 4, and welded to the upper ends of the angle bars 2I5 and 2H3 attheir rear ends. The upper portion of the tank 223' is provided with a suitably framed opening, the frame of the opening being indicated by the reference character 2-26 in Figure 4 and a suitable cover plate 221 rests on them)- per edges of the frame 226 surrounding said opening. One end of the tank 223 is penetrated by a'pipe elbow 230 which is secured to the end of the tank 223 by any suitable means such as welding and has the upper end of a flexible pipe or hose 23I adhesively connected thereto. This flexible pipe 231 extends downwardly and passes through. a suitable looped strap iron member 233 (Figure 6) depending from and welded to thelower surface of the transverse frame member 43 of the main frame 42. It is necessary that this pipe 23I be flexible due to the relative movement between the tank 223 and the vertically movable frame 42.

The pipe 23I hasa suitable manually operable valve 234 connected thereto and disposed within reach of the occupants of the seats I20 and 'I2I. The valve 234 has connected to the lower end thereof aflexible pipe or hose 235. It will be observed in Figure 6 that this pipe 235 is curved rearwardly and downwardly so'that upon opening the valve 234, the Water will flow from the reservoir 223 through the pipe 23I, by gravity, and will be discharged from the open end of the pipe 235 to a point rearwardly of the axle I66 .and between the concavo-convex disks I10 and I ll thus insuring that the furrow formed in the earth by the furrow opening disks I 10 and Ill, as the implement is pulled along by the tractor, will have an ample supply of water for the plants which are taken from the tray I by the operators on the seats I20 and l2 I and are placed in the furrow formed by the furrow opening disks I10 and Ill and which furrow is then filled in by the wheels I93 and I94 due to these wheels being fiat and disposed at an acute angle relative to each other and relative to the vertical to thus complete the transplanting operation.

The drawings show the transplanting being carried out on a perfectly level field. Some times it is desired to set the plants on a ridge. Ridges or beds are first formed across the field and this elevates the rows where the plants are to be transplanted and, of course, the furrow opening disks I10 and Ill will open a furrow in the top of the ridge for the transplanting of the plants. In this event the ground wheels 83 and 84 would be adjusted downwardly or the center frame would be adjusted upwardly relative to the transverse member 43 of the frame 42 to cause the furrow opened in the ridge to be at the proper depth.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claim.

I claim: r

In a-transplanter having a transverse frame member supported on wheels, a unitary furrow opening and closing attachment, said attachment comprising an inverted U-shaped member having legs supporting a shaft, bracket means secured to said U-shaped member for connection to said frame member to dispose said U-shaped member with the legs thereof in transverse alignment and saidshaft parallel to said frame member, furrow opening means mounted on said shaft between said legs, support means secured tosaid legs and extendingforwardly thereof, a .pair of transversely spaced arms pivoted at their front ends to said support means forwardly of said legs and extending rearwardly beyond said U-shaped member, the intermediate portions of said arms being disposed within said U-shaped member between said legs and above said shaft, the rear end of each arm carrying a furrow closing wheel, and spring means between said U-shaped member and said intermediate portions of said arms to urge said arms downwardly, whereby the furrow closing wheels will resiliently engage the earth to close the furrow when the furrow opening means is in lowered operative position and the furrow closing wheels will be raised when said furrow opening means is raised and said shaft engages said arms.

JOSEPH CURTIS GRIFFIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Nagley Jan. 19, 1892 Clow Apr. 11, 1893 Unger July 31, 1894 Brennan Dec. 19, 1905 Owens Sept. 23, 1913 Seymour Feb. 8, 1916 Church Dec. 21, 1920 Cerati Jan. 3, 1928 Shell Nov. 27, 1928 England May 26, 1931 Bateman et a1 Nov. 16, 1943 Silver June 13, 1944 Silver Aug. 26, 1947 Vetter Mar. 8, 1949 Chambers et al. Apr. 26, 1949 Cherry July 5, 1949 Hearron Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Number Germany Aug. 4, 1933 

